Friday 1 March 2019

Zucchini Slice Muffins: Freeze For Later

Simple and nourishing, good 'ole Zucchini Slice is on the menu here regularly. It's usually baked in a tray but I make it into muffins because I freeze them individually. They are perfect for discovering in the freezer on busy nights when you've forgotten to defrost something for dinner. (Ahem! Yes, I do that more often now that I work outside of home a lot.)  A quick reheat and served with salad, they can be a saviour!

A quick and delicious meal for busy nights.

My Mum taught me to make Zucchini Slice and she never used a recipe. The recipe I use now for these muffins is based on the one from Stephanie Alexander in her cookbook, Kitchen Garden Cooking with Kids. (Great for teaching children to cook!) I have fiddled very minimally with the recipe, namely changing from self-raising flour to spelt flour.  Here's how I make them in my kitchen:

Healthy ingredients for muffins.

Zucchini Slice Muffins

2 medium zucchini, finely grated
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped ham (*optional)
5 small or 3 large eggs
1/3 cup olive oil
150g white spelt flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
black pepper
tomatoes

1.  Put sifted spelt flour & baking powder, cheese, corn and ham (if using) in a large bowl.

2. Wring moisture out of grated zucchini by wrapping in a tea towel and squeezing over the sink.

3. Chop grated zucchini finely and add to other ingredients in the bowl.  Slice tomatoes.

4. Make well in centre of these dry ingredients.

5.  Whisk eggs and olive oil in jug or separate bowl.

6.  Add to ingredients in bowl and mix until just combined.

7. Put spoonfuls of mixture into muffin pan being careful not to overfill.

8. Place a slice of tomato on the top of each muffin.

8.  Bake in a 180C oven until risen and golden.

9. Eat when warm from the oven or freeze individually (and then thank your organised self when you 
   take them out of your freezer on nights when you've forgotten to defrost something for dinner!

Some with and some without tomato.

I was so very glad to find my stash of Zucchini Slice Muffins in our freezer this past couple of weeks. With a trip to the hospital's allergy clinic, carpets being ripped up and floating floors put down (half my house is still in my lounge room) and a boy on crutches, I was beyond happy to find them there!

Do you have a recipe that you learned to cook when you were young and that you still make today?

Meg









20 comments:

  1. what a great idea to make them into muffins. I have a recipe for broccoli Parmesan balls, and they also freeze beautifully. I always have a bag of them in the freezer. Excellent for when you need something a bit extra to add to your salad for lunch. Oh gosh you do seem to have had a lot going on this week - hope next week is calmer!

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    1. So handy to have them in muffins, makes it easy to freeze then defrost just how many I need at the time. I'd love your recipe for broccoli and cheese balls. I love broccoli! Meg:)

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  2. Hi Meg, Those look delicious. Yes, I still make many of the recipes that I learned when I was young. My mom and aunt were both excellent cooks. I especially love making my mom's Thanksgiving dinner.

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    1. It is wonderful to be taught by good cooks, Stephenie. My Mum is a great cook too, we always had homemade meals when were were growing up. Meg:)

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  3. We have been making Zucchini slice for years and years too...I like making them in individual serves as well because they cook quicker too and no cutting up.. Will have to put them on the menu as we haven't had them for a little while.

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    1. It is definitely a popular recipe, Kathy. I know a lot of people who cook it. Meg:)

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  4. Ooh Meg. They sound really tasty and very healthy. I will give them a try sometime.

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    1. I hope you enjoy them, Cherie. They are very tasty. Occasionally, I even have one for breakfast if I'm in a hurry. Meg:)

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  5. Meg, I make zucchini slice most weeks and must buy some zucchini at the market this morning. I can't remember cooking when I was growing up so don't have any favourites from then. My daughter won first prize at a show with her zucchini slice years ago. She had bacon and corn in hers from memory.

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    1. Your daughter sounds like a good cook, Chel. I use bacon in these muffins too sometimes. Meg:)

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  6. They look so good Meg. I've never made zucchini slice. I'm going to write this down so I can make it when I have zucchini. :)

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    1. I hope you enjoy them, Nil. They are quite tasty. Meg:)

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  7. Meg you always post such lovely recipes. These look great and I'll be putting them in the freezer too. Handy for lunches for us who are cutting out normal wheat flour and bread. Thanks. XX

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    1. The spelt flour works very well, Sally. I sometimes make quinoa muffins too which are just delicious and have no flour in them. Always handy with a salad! Meg:)

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  8. It sounds like there's a lot going on over at your house, Meg! Hope all is well! I think this is the first savory zucchini muffin I've seen! Zucchini muffins (and zucchini bread), over here, are usually sweet!

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    1. I have seen recipes for a zucchini cake, Bless, which is quite sweet. Zucchini is such a versatile veg! Meg:)

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  9. The muffins look great Meg.... always looking for a new way to use up all our zucchinis....will give them a try :-)

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    1. Zucchini can definitely be "abundant" round here too, Suzie. It's such an easy veg to grow and I tend to put it into just about everything. Meg:)

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  10. Yum, and very clever. A terrific, on-the-run treat. I've been looking for the small muffin, silicone trays lately, but they all seem to be big like yours. In the metal world, they're known as the 24 mini muffin pans. Wee little things. I want them for making fat bombs. It sounds weird, I know, lol.

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    1. I haven't seen those tiny muffin pans for a while either, Chris. Did you find some? And I have to ask ... what is a fat bomb?? Meg:)

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